Portable grain-elevator.



J. E. 65,0. W. CAMP,i PORTABLE GRAIN ELEVATOR;

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5, 1905.

898,552. Patented sept. 15,1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

y J. E. a. o. W. CAMP. PORTABLE GRAIN ELEVATOB.. APPLICATION, FILED OCT. 5, 1905.

Patented'sept. 15, 1908 UNITED STATES PngrENr onirica.

JOSEPH'E.' CAlv'IP,- OF WASHINGTON, ANDCHRISTIAN W. CAMP, OF-METAMOBA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO CAMP SBROS. & CO., OF METAMORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS;

l PORTABLE 'GRAINfELEvAToI-t.

Patented sept. 15, 1908.

' Application le'd October'5,i1905'. Serial No. 281,443.

To all whom'fit may concern.'

` :CHRISTIAN W.' CAMP, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, lat Washington v andMetamora, in the. counties of' Tazewell and Woodford, respectively, and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Grain-Elevators; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention ertains to improvements in portable grain e evators. n l 'i The object of the invention lis to-simplify the construction of the elevating mechanism so that it can be more cheaply produced than -has been possible heretofore. 20

A further object is to rovide a mechanism for the .elevator that drive it.

A Astill further object is to provide a mech-c lanismfto which the power can be moredirectly applied tothe drag chain.

Another object is to make a peculiar disposition of'a power wheel used `for driving the elevator chains,l withv reference .to the lpoint of pivotal connection of the elevator and its conveyer; also of. certain idler wheels for keeping the chain in mesh with said power wheel; also of idler wheelswithin the elevator 4at the said point of pivotal connection all of which will presentl appear.

' The invention a s/o consistsin certain details of construction as will be pointed out inA the following specification and incorporated ,.in the claims. A

In the appended drawings, Figure 1 is a `vation of thesame showing gearing mechantor on line X. X, Fig. 2.

ism for driving the drag-chain. Fig. 3 isa Atransverse section of the conveyer. and eleva- Fig. 4 is a top view of. a portion. of lthe elevator with part` ofits bottom broken away to show certain sprocket wheels thereunder which comprise the driving gearing forlthe drag-chains.

' The yrefeiencejletter A indicatesa supporting and carrying-frame wlii'chim'ay be of any desired form having the carrying'wheels B onf which the said frame is transportable.

C isl an elevator of anyjappr'oved construction'pivotally mounted near its lower end o n y require less power to Fig. 2 is a side'ele' therear .end of the carrying-frame A by means of anarni D at, each side of and. se-

cured to `the elevator, and ears E mounted on the rear reach of the frame.'

at each extremity to a suitable caring member G.. Carried near the top of the said frame F on each limb is a :fitting H to each of which is pivotallyatta'ched a rod Jthe lower end of eachv of which is'bent and adapted to enter a member K 'secured to each side member of the'frame A as shown, by which the frame F is rigidly su ported, and capable 'of sustaining considerab e weight.

It is to be noted that the framejust d( scribed 'isdesigned to straddle the elevator vand that the latter rises and lowers thereunder. In order to provide for this a pulley L is suspended from the top of the sald frame and at M on the elevator is a bail to which a ro e N is attached, the latterektending over said pulley and attached to and adaptedvto wind 'upon a drum'or windlass O as shown. To this construction, however, we attach no broad claim since it has been described and shown in LettersPatent No; 741,108 issued ,to Joseph E. Camp on the 13th day of AOctober, 1903. As a matter of convenience in the `use ofthe elevator we provide a'horizontal portion P termed a drag or conveyer which is pivoted to the lower end of the'elevator and 1 1s' designed to tilt on end on said pivot whereby it is removed from the path of a .wagon to be unloaded as in other devices of this character and all of which is well known.

The portion of the elevator l which we consider important may nowbe explained. Secured to each side of the elevator at its lower end is a plate Q near the lower edge of which is a transverse shaftR carrying two sprocket wheels S located under .the -bottom C of the elevator land beneath which run the two lower 'stretches of the sprocket chains T, the latter having the drag-platesU carried between them.- At each side of eachsprocket S ,is stationed similar sprockets 'V and V all of which' are carried on studs W nsecured in the lsaid castings A air of sprocket. `wheels 2 are carried at the lead of the'eleva tion shown in Fig. 2 the 'chains unless held down to place on the bottom ofthe conveyer and elevator would tend to take up a straight line between the sprockets 2 and 3 and in order to prevent this idler wheels 4 are st'aass between theml as shown in Fig. 3 so that tliere 'wheels V and V will be no interference. The lower stretches of the' chains iirst' pass over :the sprockets V, then under the sprockets S and'over sprockets V. Here again' it is to be seen that the are carried on studs so th at the drag members can pass between theml but this is unnecessary as regards the wheels,

IS since .the' chains pass'under them and the drags pass around and below. them'insteadof between them as in .the caseof the said --wheels Vfl and'V".` By providing the' shaft R entirely across the elevator the sprockets S become the driving members' motion being imparted thereto by means of thepulley R whlch i s to be driven fromthe horse-power or ther'nieans that may be employed. By

this'means the 'power isap'plied at the most convenient pointand at the most advantathe tipp unduly tightening the chains.'

eous place as since -thej pull u. on the oad within-the elevatoris and should e froml er sprocket wheels 2 and, the slack in the c ain 1s beneath the conveyer or between; the wheels Vu" and the wheels 3 allowing'the said conveyer to beraised without Contrary to some devices `of which we are aware-we locate the driving or power-sprocket lace idler side and. relatively fixed in position, theshafts ot the wheels being substantially in line with -one -another'in order that'the arrangement shall be compact and therefore adapted for use on an elevator, and, farther, that there will not be a distance between the idlersand power wheel-sufficient to allow napping of the chain .or ydrag between said idlers and power-wheel.

Furthermore, that there will not be a distance between the wheels suflicient to allow the said chain or drag to ride upon the power wheel and thereby tighten and strain the chain, nor break it as sometimes happens.

In no other elevator of pivotallylcon ',nected sections is the, vower applied toa -ateach side to hold the chain in center wheel with' an id erv ii-xed m position ositiveA enled on Apri gagement with said power whee We are@ other devices a single idlerl is 'stationed beside a chain-drive power wheel for keeping ythe chain engagement with .the said power wheel at one side, the other side ofthe chain being-loose. In our improved construction the use of an idler at each side of the power wheel positively prevents a flapping and shaking chain from riding upon the power wheellat either side while also permitting a very loose chain if desired sothat the eleval tor sections can be given a wide range of movement relatively without tightening or binding said chain, the 'wheels always remainingrelatively ixed in position.' f

'In connection with the chains, we provide .an automatic tension device which we will describe although it forms the subject matter of an application ef .Joseph E.l Camp claimed herein 'for that reason; y

Secured at each side of the -free end of the conveyer is a plate 6 in eachof which is a horizontal slot 7, but one of which is shown,

8, 1905,Serial Number 254,998, for grain elevator and is not broadly through whichA extends the shaft 8 carrying the 'sprockets 3'. Pivoted at its middle to one end ofthe plate shown in Fi 2 is an arm 9 whose `lower end is connected y a link 1.()v to the end of the saidshaft 8.. Through the upper end ofthe saidarm 9 extends a rod 11 having thereon a' spring 12 and an adjusting pivotal connection with the casting Q of the elevator as shown. Whenproperly adjusted the s ring keeps a steady tension on the arm 9 an lholds the shaft 8 outward and away nut J2', the opposite end of the rodhaving from the wheels V so as to' keep the chains free oftoo much slack. If, however, the

to permit a wagon toass the rod l1, which is pivoted above and orwardof the pivot of the elevator at-5, will shift its position with relation to the conveyer thereby slackening the tension of the spring and allowing the shaft 8 to approach nearer the elevator and thus loosen the chain g this action taking place while the conveyer is being raised.. This, as has been stated, forms the subject matter'- of the application above referred to and needs no further description. vator is jointed nearits upper end and has a'hinge at C2. so'that the head canbe folded back upon the main portion' for transportation purposes. Also, the conveyer may beI raisemembers F and J collapsed upon the carrying' .platform :therebymaking a,very com- `act implement that dan be easily drawn om -p lace to place and stored in a small space.

By our` ec'uliar arrangement of sprocket vchains -an 'drive wheels We are enabledto .conveyer is raisedjto the dotted line position The eleas described and the derrick frame construct a portable orv stationary elevator at small cost and one that will require much less power than other devices otits kind.

'- As already intimated we are aware of some other such devices as that described herein but We are not apprised of a device which combines the particular arrangement herein mediately below them, as viewed in Fig. 2, so

' that as the conveyor is lifted or tilted on its pivot the stretches of chainwill partially Wrap upon them. In thus wrapping upon I the wheels S the lower stretches of the chain which have extended over. a'portion of the' periphery of the idlers V are almost, if not entirely, removed therefrom. thus creating considerable slack in said chains which slack is transferred to the u per stretch' around the wheels 3 vand throng the 4conveyer to the said idlers' 4 where it 1s taken up by wrapping upon said idlers as will be understood. By

reason of this the automatic means' at the outer end of .the conveyer is called upon but 7 little'to relax the chains and in this connec- -tion it will be seen the relative positions of the wheels `V and 4 and their vrelative sizes could be such as to provide all the slack necessary' to readily permit the conveyor to be raised and also that the slack would be taken up suiiciently by said wheel V when the con- .veyer is in the' normal position for Work Without calling upon the automatic means above lreferred to."

The idlers 4 Within the convey'er are permanently located in position it not being necessary to provide for lifting them or changing the position in' anyway relative to the elevator member carrying them when raising the pivotally connected conveyer. Equivalent means may be used in place of said idlers since they need not necessarily be wheels. The mechanism can be used at joints of elevator sections. of course, aswell as at the joint between the conveyer and elevator as herein described and shown.

' We do not confine ourselves to the mechanism shown and described nor to the exact arrangement thereof since equivalents may bev readily supplied. y

l. An elevator, `a tiltable raisable conveyer sectlon pivoted thereto, a cnainedriving power-wheel in the vicinity of and sub'-v stantially beneath the pivot and carried by the elevator, a drag chain of a single length` extending through both the elevator' cent tothe power wheel at each side thereof and carried by the' elevatorand in xed positive relation to the power wheel, and a' per-l manently positioned idler carried by the elevator for holding thek drag chain in operative; position upon the bottom of and at the juncture of the said elevator and conveyer.

. 2. In a device of the class described, an

elevator, a raisable conveyer pivoted thereto, a one-piece endless drag-chain extending through the entire conveyer and elevator, a

Vchain-driving power wheel carried by the elevator substantially beneath the pivot point of the two sections and ihred in position with reference to said pivot and in engagement` with and for driving the said dragchain, an idler wheel at each side of said drive-wheel and also carried by the elevator and permanently iixed in position relative to said wheel,

.said drag-chain passing between the idlers and the power wheel and idler wheels within l and at the juncture of the sections substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In a'device ofthe class described, an elevator, a vertically raisable conveyer pivoted thereto, a one-piece drag-chain therefor, a power wheel carried by the elevator in the vicinity of the connecting pivot for driving the drag, an idler wheel at each side of the power wheel each said idlersbeing permanently fixed in position relatively to the power wheel and also carried by the elevator and adapted for keeping thechain in positive engagement therewith, and an idler wheel within the elevator at the pivot thereof for holding the drag in operative position upon the bottoms of the sections.

4. In a device of the .class described, an elevator section, a vertically movable 'section jpivoted thereto, a drag-chain extending through both sections, a powerwheel carried by the elevator engagingthe chain andfor driving the under stretch thereof, andv positioned beneath the connecting pivot of the sections, means at each side ofthe said power wheel and also carried by the elevator for holding the chain inv positive engagement therewith, such means receiving slack in the chain, and means for holding the chain in opv erative position within the sections and receiving the slack from the first said means when the. conv-eyer sectionis'raised'as described.

5. In a device of the class described, the combi-nation of a pivotally carried elevator vadapted to raise and lower on its pivot, a coni veyer pivoted to the elevator and adaptedv also to be raised-and lowered: on its pivot,"an endless drag member Vextending through both the elevator and conveyor, a ,power wheel for the under stretch 'of the drag, an' idler at eachside of the wheel, all three wheels being carried by the elevator `and fixed in position relatively,lthe under stretch of the drag member running alternately over one and beneath the other, and an idler within and also carried by the elevator and lixed relative to the power wheel and its idlers'.

`for holding the'inner stretch of the dragl member in an operative position on the bottom of said elevator and conveyer at thel juncture of the latter twomembers substantially as shownY tively fixed and their axes being in closeA relation to one another for the purposes de? scribed, and means. in connection with the drag for. permitting it to yield under tension and also to take up'the slack therein.

7. An elevator com rising two pivotally connected sections, a diag therefor, a power lwheel in the vicinity of the connecting pivot,

in engagement with and fordriving the drag,

an" idler wheel at each vside )of the power Wheel both said idlers being permanently fixed in position relatively to the power v wheel, .all three wheels being carried., by but Aone o f the elevator sections, and automatic means in connection with the .drag for permitting it toyield under-tension by the tilting of the elevatorsections relatively.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination offa pivotally carried elevator adapted to be raised and lowered on itspivot, a conveyer pivoted to theelevator and adapted to be raised and lowered on itspivot, an endless drag memberl extending through both the elevator and conveyer, a power Wheel, an idler at each side thereof, all three being carried by the elevator and xed in positionrelatively, the under stretch of the drag member running. alternately over one and beneath the other, an idler within and also carried by the elevator and fixed in vp osition relatively to the power wheel and its idlers forholdingthe inner stretch of4 the drag member in an operative position on the bottom of said elevator and conveyer at the juncture of the two, and yielding means at the outer end of the conveyer permitting 'the drag to retract `and for positively" taking up the s'lacktherein at the times and for the purposes set forth.

9. A device. of the character described, comprising thev elevator body, a conveyer pivoted thereto, a drag extending through both of the members, driving wheels substantially at the. pivots of the conveyer and elevator for imparting motion to the drag,

idlers adjacent to the driving wheel for keeping the drag in engagement with the said driving wheels, the fatter and the idlers permitting the drag to flex, during the vertical adjustments of the elevator. i

10. A device of the character des'crlbed, comprising the elevator body, va conveyer drag to lextend asset forth."

pivoted thereto, a7 drag extending'y thioN-ugh both of the members, dri-ving wheeis substan# tially at the pivots ofthe convyer and elevator for imparting motion to the drag, idlers adjacent to the drivingwheels forkeepingthe drag in engagement therewith, the latter'and the idlers permittingthe drag to fiex durin the vertical 'adjustments of the elevator, an idlers also within the elevatorv at the pivot thereof for retaining the upper stretch of the drag inoperative position.

1 1. 1n a' device of the' character described, an elevator,. a con'veyer ivoted thereto,' a drag for running through oth ofthfcm, driving sprockets substantially at the' point of plvotal connection of `the elevator andJconfveyer for driving the dra at said sprockets asV the elevator or conveyer are In'ovedf on the connecting pivot .and

means for automatically taking up the slack.

in the drag, s uch lmeansl also permitting the 12. In a device of the character an elevator, a conveyer pivoted thereto, 'a drag for running through both theelevator` .and conve er, la driving wheel beneath and substantia ly -at the point ofpivotal connection ofthe elevator and. conveyer, .an'idler wheel at each side of the driving wheel, andfixed-in position relative to said .driving wheel, the lower stretcllfof the dragv runnin described,

the 'latter flexing sof over an idler, thence under the driving whee and then'over the 'remaining idler, and idler Wheelswithin vthe elevator having their axes substantially coincident with the pivot ofthe conveyer and elevator, .and beneath which the upper stretch of the drag runs in the Amanner and for the urposesstated.

13,#4 In a device o the class described, anv

elevator, a conveyer. pivoted thereto and: t

adapted to be raisedjjonend on itsp'ivot, a drag runninP through-both `the elevator and conveyerwl1ee ls at'the outer extremity. of

the latter. members lfor carrying'said drag,

driving-'wheels for the drag ratthe point of connection ofthe elevator and conveyer,

- idler Wheels at each side of the driving wheels for holding-thedrag in positive, engagement with the driving fwheels, :the latter andthe vidlers being relativelyfixed in position,'idler thereof, ,a dragmember extending through 'both conveyer and elevator, carrymg wheelsv for the drag, Adriving wheels yfor imparting movement to the drag,` idler wheels forpausing the drag to positively *engage the driving 5 member, a short conveyer pivoted thereto', a

drag member running through both, Wheels for carr it, a drivl Wheel engagin 4each ehaino the dra ,ani er wheel'ateac side l of thel driving w eel vover each of whichthe 10 hain'passes while passing beneath the drivlng wheel, all of the Wheels being in the ref gion of the pivotal connection between the elevator and conveye and means foi' automatically slackening o1' tightening the, chains as the eonveyer o1" elevatorare moved relatively lto each other.

'In testimony-whereof We aflix our signatures,v in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH E. CAMP.

l v CHRISTIAN W. CAMP.

Witnesses:A i

J. C. IRv1NG,- B. F. NAFZIGER. 

